Frightened of opposition

Are you one of these people who try and stop top flyers joining your club , believe in limits ect ect . When I was only getting 2 to 3 wins a season I thought to hell with this and became a mob flyer. Don't get me wrong its costs us a lot of money hard work ect but I was sick of it so joined them Haha. Never believed in stopping top flyers in anyway . I still think we would do ok with a smaller team though but I don't want to do that as I love trying others birds as well as our own . On the other hand I want to win and that's it unlike a lot of top flyers nowadays who just see the pound signs . In all the years I have flew pigeons I have only sold ybs once because the lad insisted. I have done well over the last few years and probably could sell ybs and get something back which in the future I might but at the moment I just want to win , win , win.

im different to you ray, i`m not driven by the thought of racing, two reasons really, time doesnt permit me to do it properly and also i don`t have the enthusiasm to want to race.

i love keeping and looking after my birds, and also like the breeding side of things........for the past 4 or maybe 5 years have bred young birds and sold them so others can race them, for now i prefer to do this but do understand that other fanciers do have that desire to race and win, in fact if your going to go to the trouble and effort to race your birds, youve got to try your best to win every race ..........

no boundaries at our club all are welcome no bird limits either send what ya want and thats how it should be but myself i dont like a big team just my preference...we already have 3 extremely good fliers to compete with who have topped the open several times ...recently too and we have a very good distance flyer in the club to...i do sell some ybs as it helps with bills etc...and not being able to work the dosh comes in handy here with the wee when he gets the "can i have" which he deserves for all his efforts recently at school ,he is doing extremely well and has been chosen from his year to be in the maths ambassador class...i told the mrs that dartboard would work wonders for the lads maths so looks like the dartboard stays sorry for the waffle i never feel guilty at charging £20 for ybs that are scoring for others ,i mean...where can you get that these days and besides you have to buy the parents and keep them etc...na charity begins at home for me lads but i have given plenty to forum members for free over the years and would do so again atb

Mobb flyers help the club expenses, that's for sure.
One club I was in 3 members sent at least 50 odd to 100 birds each. The lofts in very close proximity. Many others big teams. We opened the radios too. Too many have left the sport to be fussy.
We did a Money Race to raise funds once. A small click tried to map out boundaries excluding certain flyers. I upped my hand and told a few home truths. Their self and stupid come back was 'Yes of course to raise money... But we want a winner in our club.
After some debate I got the simple boundaries… Any one in the three federations!
Was a time in One club, back in the sixties where there was - like many others - had boundaries! But the money raise is, and was the most important thing.

I - in later years just sent years up ward the od race, being up to 200 miles first time in basket … they wanted their safety and home lol. Did well and losses were very few.

If you keep racing pigeons and join a racing pigeon club, then the obvious is that you WANT to win races, or why bother with all the expense etc; just keep them for fun.

However, as in all sports not everyone can be a winner, there is only one in each event and normally not enough events to go round.

With all the different fanciers involved in our sport advantages exist without a doubt, also some are more willing than others to put some effort into the attempt to win.

Personally I got enough pleasure from attempting to win against the odds rather than by advantage and would not have been unduly disappointed if I never won a race.

As matters turned out I always won far more than my share by using just basic common sense.

We had mob flyers at times, why worry? one fit and motivated pigeon will beat hundreds of artificial motivated ones.

So I decided a well bred and happy and healthy pigeon living in a environment which it was loth to be away from was the best way.

However, no one should take anything away from a winner whatever the system used , if yours was better then you would win.

Just enjoy being involved and enjoy what is left, the best is long gone.

Regards.

yes indeed only 1 bird can win ...what would you prefer 1st place only or is 2nd 3rd 4th 5th more pleasing ...most would take the win but the better performance by the fancier and his birds has to be 2nd 3rd 4th 5th ,at the end of the day as misty says enjoy what you can while you can whether you win lose or draw but its nice if everyone in the club has their day throughout the season

Definitely first because like they say nobody remembers 2nd but me personally if I get beat love to have my team coming well. So yes still would take 2nd 3rd ect ect especially if it's against hard opposition

Irrespective of any other consideration I think when entering any sport you have to have an objective to achieve.

My aim was to win, even if only once, from every race point in every Fed programme I flew in, once would be good enough for me, and in any ring nom or young bird auction race, never pooled a pigeon, never interested in winning other fanciers money.

Did every one other than young bird auction race, 2nd 3rd. best.

Only one race was missing, Dunbar young bird race until the last time I raced
when I won, as much pleasure as all the others put together.

Only entered one ring nom, Perth, only entered one YB auction.


You should have a clear aim in mind and a means of achieving it, one fanciers methods may be opposite to another's yet both win their share, but the over all joy is trying.

Regards.

peel bros wrote:

Are you one of these people who try and stop top flyers joining your club , believe in limits ect ect . When I was only getting 2 to 3 wins a season I thought to hell with this and became a mob flyer. Don't get me wrong its costs us a lot of money hard work ect but I was sick of it so joined them Haha.  Never believed in stopping top flyers in anyway  . I still think we would do ok with a smaller team though but I don't want to do that as I love trying others birds as well as our own . On the other hand I want to win and that's it unlike a lot of top flyers nowadays who just see the pound signs . In all the years I have flew pigeons I have only sold ybs once because the lad insisted.  I have done well over the last few years and probably could sell ybs and get something back which in the future I might but at the moment I just want to win , win , win.

Really not the Aussie type way etc Ray I've found, on average We think big here & many clubs here have boundary's bigger than your UNC as such . Must admit thou we do have limits when it comes to Fed racing, like 50 x 2 but if your just happy to join your dog/gardener up etc they can have another 50/100 odd for the enjoyment factor .

I believe, Oldstrain, 1-5 is just further proof that your loft is in form They clambour to get in after hiting the trapping board.. Mind a win is a win and always appreciated for sure.
was ribbed when taking 5 hens to a race mid season. First race I sent in. Asked if I was sending to the National next week I answered 'No'. I was rib that my birds weren't good enough etc. I said that any would hold their own if sent. So I ask any one to take one out and I would send it. They picked a 4 year old hen out and took the number down etc.
I sent it. Was top 3 section, and 18th national. Got a few members writing up letter in the B.W. saying 'Well Done' etc.
Now that was a joy I must admit. Was 2nd club too.

But to be truthful I got a far more enjoyment via testing and trying different ways. Got to the stage where a race was to prove a point to my self full stop. Then I gave the yearling a stiff chore etc, but realised that I was gaining numbers galore vis not losing many. I had for 5 years been trying to give them up... So obviously that made the choice in reality to let them go.

no limits in our club welcome anyone, not many left tho now, but out of the 6 three have won nationals so still a good club to get a win, always set times in my head for races and happy if I think a bird done its best no matter the position, they not all gonna be winners so have to be content sometimes with a good performance jmo

If your in the radius and send ten or one hundred a novice or experienced you are in clubs need big team fanciers in my opinion

I always ask 'What's the difference in being beaten by ten fanciers sending ten birds each as one sending 100'!
Some same the 100 to one loft means they get a drag and bring other pigeons onto their line that they must have at least one in tip-top form!
Maybe, maybe not. I feel that ten fanciers sending ten each means that some are also well on song, that at least five lofts have fanciers striving to get the best from their birds AND can give far better personal treatment.
'Mob' flyers', its true, on open loft have more contented pigeons on the whole. They take off and up and down most of the day in bursts. Excellent regards their fitness - in bursts, and are mostly chasing the hens. Again tip-top fitness boost. - they don't need any up the road tosses. Their fittest tell you as such!
The same of course for an 'Open loft' of 20- 30 birds!
Have a mate that observes his pigeons inside a shed. Then goes in at night to watch his pigeons there too. He is continuously high up in both section and club and national placings. He will, however, will state he has no idea which order they will come in. But knows that they are race fit! Yes, he has over a 100 race birds and sends 30 - 40 to the nationals.

I'd wager he would do just as well is having just halve or less.

Strangely enough, he bred me a round of 24. My system was very similar to his. My birds already bred down from several families, and from very good fanciers, were, as often stated, could go first time in the basket 150 miles or more.
His couldn't hack it, after three seasons or so, I only had one left. Same way bred as his!? Go figure.
Which makes me think regards the other fancier's birds - all mixed and never a close mating - do. Yes, to be truthful, I suffered many losses till later on. Maybe the system didn't suit! Wasn't that they were capable, for nestmates, and same way bred did settle to do it!

As far as I am concerned all other things being equal, a fancier sending twice or more than others obviously has a better chance of having pigeons in the batch taking the best line home, irrefutable advantage.

However, one fit pigeon from a small entry in the same batch could and does win.

Far better feeling winning against the odds me thinks.

Regards.

MISTY wrote:

As far as I am concerned all other things being equal, a fancier sending twice or more than others obviously has a better chance of having pigeons in the batch taking the best line home, irrefutable advantage.

However, one fit pigeon from a small entry in the same batch could and does win.

Far better feeling winning against the odds me thinks.

Regards.
 

Absolutely true Misty but on average & especially when you have many, sending many & you give away miles & miles to them in overfly & they then have a gale up their backside as such the odds always increase in their favour I suggest &         Sorry O/S     but especially I'm       when the races are set up for the sprint freak types     at the bottom end & you talk in large numbers.

You get beat by a fancier sending 76 birds in club, and many say/moan that they can't fly a good pigeon, that they are relying on extra drag and some pigeon being on song, plus that the fancier is lazy etc. That you were beaten by a 'Mob Flyer'!
However if the club members have 10 sending 7 more pigeons than you, with another 15 members sending about the same, yet you are second club, then one is pretty much proud and contented saying he finished a ahead of most fanciers.

Knackered wrote:

MISTY wrote:

As far as I am concerned all other things being equal, a fancier sending twice or more than others obviously has a better chance of having pigeons in the batch taking the best line home, irrefutable advantage.

However, one fit pigeon from a small entry in the same batch could and does win.

Far better feeling winning against the odds me thinks.

Regards.
 

Absolutely true Misty but on average & especially when you have many, sending many & you give away miles & miles to them in overfly & they then have a gale up their backside as such the odds always increase in their favour I suggest &         Sorry O/S     but especially I'm       when the races are set up for the sprint freak types     at the bottom end & you talk in large numbers.

dear oh dear what have i started here ,one dares to answer and gets ribbed all over the forum just for the record oz my favorite race types are 250-350 miles ,there will be advantages for some in every race at every distance ...you only have to win by the decimal to take top spot whether it be from 1mile or 1000 our organisation covers 3 countys so wind direction has a big bearing on the race

oldstrain wrote:

Knackered wrote:

MISTY wrote:

As far as I am concerned all other things being equal, a fancier sending twice or more than others obviously has a better chance of having pigeons in the batch taking the best line home, irrefutable advantage.

However, one fit pigeon from a small entry in the same batch could and does win.

Far better feeling winning against the odds me thinks.

Regards.
 

Absolutely true Misty but on average & especially when you have many, sending many & you give away miles & miles to them in overfly & they then have a gale up their backside as such the odds always increase in their favour I suggest &         Sorry O/S     but especially I'm       when the races are set up for the sprint freak types     at the bottom end & you talk in large numbers.

dear oh dear what have i started here ,one dares to answer and gets ribbed all over the forum just for the record oz my favorite race types are 250-350 miles ,there will be advantages for some in every race at every distance ...you only have to win by the decimal to take top spot whether it be from 1mile or 1000 our organisation covers 3 countys so wind direction has a big bearing on the race

Must be a technical type issue here I suspect O/S No ribbing from me etc just friendly type banter to keep the wheel turning over as such . Pity thou your not on speaker phone down here at times, when the little fat bloke rings me when moving between jobs & he has his faithful 2IC next to him . Sprint freak type he is & a very  good one at the highest order also President of their club & room steward to boot at there centre, compared the the little fat man who is distance in nature . Always pulling them apart on speaker phone etc as he was army bred for 30 odd years as a major before he had a rebirth as a traddie type later in life & the 2 of us are of the same kindred spirit to a degree    . End of the day 3 kids going toe to toe, just living the dream all with a different type nature & views, but just with a great love of pigeons between us all, built up over many many years.
*****

At the end of the day it's just another topic to talk about , it's not about falling ot with each other . We will all disagree with certain things but that's like . People moan about my mob flying and I moan about not dedicated flyers , the lazy one , the trouble makers ect ect but that's part of the game .

I agree with 'oldstrain'. in regards the decimal and placing. I would also state, that many a better bird in a not so favourable position, or wind being against, is very often the best bird in the race... but seldom the winner.
Talking about decimals, a very good fancier took me to task, as often and under his wing asked, Three drop together, do you clock them one at a time, or put all three in the clock together - before the E.T. timing obviously.
I said, One at a time'! 'That's right ' he said, I had three come well together, I clocked one at a time. I was 1st 2nd and 4th Club. Also 1st 4th and 6th Fed! Now if I wasted time getting all three in as one I 'd been down to 3rd club and 6th Fed'!

peel bros wrote:

At the end of the day it's just another topic to talk about , it's not about falling ot with each other . We will all disagree with certain things but that's like . People moan about my mob flying and I moan about not dedicated flyers , the lazy one , the trouble makers ect ect but that's part of the game .

Wise words etc Ray Easy to get ones nose up as such but gains little thou in the end I suspect & besides I have a local Vet here that is that way inclined some what & most wouldn't even give him the time of day type of thing     on average, being as he is .

If a fancier can keep a large number of pigeons healthy today and mob fly and win races they are as good or better than others.

It is far easier to have a small team which you know as individuals.

So there is always other factors to consider in all aspects of our sport.

Regards.

I have a lot and they get well looked after believe me . Again that cost us a lot of money as does racing , feeding ect but people forget that

peel bros wrote:

I have a lot and they get well looked after believe me . Again that cost us a lot of money as does racing , feeding ect but people forget that

I doubt very much     if people forget that etc Ray . Human nature thou being as it is makes them in a friendly way on average I suggest, just like having a enjoyable dig some what at the chook farmer types .

guy always sends plenty in our club ...twice more than most ,always back biting him as he does well in the results but like i said when i heard them sticking the knife in ,he does more for the club than any of them and his birds always look well and are treated with respect ...guess what ? not a pin drop